10.

Due to which factors Nadir Shah can be considered as an influential political

figure?

The reign of Afshar dynasty started in 1736 with Nadir Shah Afshar on the throne. He united
the territory of Azerbaijan combining Shirvan, Karbakh, Tabriz and Chukursaad beylerbeyliks
and put his brother Ibrahim in charge. In order to gain power and respect, Nadir Shah
reduces the privileges of the rulers of Ganja-Karabakh beylerbeylik, who only recognized
Safavid rulers as the highest power. Some of the disloyal families and tribes were exiled to
Khorasan.
Nadir Shah had a very strict tax policy, the main goal of which was to collect taxes from
everybody in the exact time to the state capital. Although the increase of taxes every year
made the population to suffers, it also played a major role in strengthening and expanding
the army. The Afshars’ 30-thousand-strong army was very well known across the whole
world. It should be noticed that jizya tax, that non-Muslim part of the population was
paying, was cancelled. Nadir Shah was against the religious discrimination that existed in the
Turkic and Muslim world. During the negotiations with Ottoman Empire he made a
proposal, the purpose of which was to put an end to the prejudice of Shia Islam, but it was
not accepted by the high-level Ottoman Muslim priesthood.
Nadir Shah referred to himself as Turk and even with foreign ambassadors spoke only
Turkish. He embraced his Turkish origin and wanted to unite Azerbaijan, Central Asia and
the Ottomans under one flag against the Western States. But unfortunately neither
Ottomans, nor Central Asia states supported him in his progressive ideas.